July 25, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Saturday, July 25, 2009

July 25, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 12:43 PM :: 8672 Views

UH president announces 10% pay cut for top executives

University of Hawaii President David McClain today said he and incoming system president M.R.C. Greenwood will take 10 percent pay cuts as part of a developing plan to address about $155 million in budget cuts over the next two years.

(Yesterday it seemed that the newcomer needed some convincing on this....)

SB: Incoming UH President M.R.C. Greenwood will also take a 10 percent salary reduction. Her new salary will be about $427,000 a year. (How will she survive?) Senior executives rated “outstanding” will take a 7 percent cut, 8 percent for a “superior” rating, and 8 percent if rated “satisfactory.” Other executives will take a 6 percent cut for outstanding ratings, 6.5 percent for superior, and 7 percent for satisfactory.

President-select Greenwood is expected to formally take office Aug. 1 although UH Vice President Linda Johnsrud will serve as acting president through Aug. 19. (After that...look out!)

Hawaii state film commissioner, staff on budget layoff list

The film office, created in 1978, offers filmmakers guidance on Island locations, local crew and talent, housing and cultural practices. The office also coordinates permits for filming and provides instruction on how to obtain local production and high-technology investment tax credits.

(If the unions agree to furloughs, then the rich people can keep their tax credits and continue to legally avoid Hawaii's high personal income tax by investing in movies.)

Read to end of article for Mufi Hannemann campaign commercial. No surprise there.

Taking the reins of the Hawai'i GOP

Looking ahead, Ka'auwai said: "The party's focus is going to be developing strong grassroots (support) in all precincts and districts in the state of Hawai'i and building a stronger recruitment apparatus and district-level campaign apparatus. I don't think we've seen that before. We've seen a party that's been more candidate-focused and more issues-focused; … we're talking about building at the lowest levels." That would include get-out-the-vote efforts, conducting community outreach and filling vacant positions in district and precinct chairs, said Ka'auwai, a 1990 Kamehameha Schools graduate who double majored in philosophy and business at Boston College.

Star Bulletin begins working for campaign with article titled: "Abercrombie to the rescue?"

This clownish article begins with:

"Ten months later, Chaowasaree says he and other Hawaii restaurateurs are still feeling the drop in business-related dining and entertainment spending. He's hoping a bill, reintroduced yesterday by U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), to restore the 80 percent deduction for business meals and entertainment expenses could help turn things around. Currently, only 50 percent of the value of these expenses is tax deductible."

Abercrombie's bill is going nowhere--it is an empty gesture aimed at enhancing Abercrombie's chance in the gubernatorial races. Funny how the SB never got around to doing a big expose on Abercrombie's Carbon Tax vote--which will double the electricity cost for all these restaurants.

New gov’t drug program worries local pharmacists

In a cost-cutting measure, the Hawai‘i Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund has mandated that many active state and county employees, and some retirees, receive prescriptions of maintenance drugs via U.S. mail from a pharmacy in Florida.
Maintenance drugs include those prescribed for treatment of chronic or ongoing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and thyroid conditions.

EUTF projects savings of $10 million a year by switching to the plan, Glick said. Still, that’s nothing compared to the estimated $1 billion or more in taxable revenue that could flow from Hawai‘i to the Florida pharmacy each year.

Seed crop industry helps state economy

(Here's why OHA worked to ban GMO taro--so they could begin creating a legal claim for future extortion of this business.)

- The total value of Hawaii's seed crops rose from $450,000 in 1968 to $146 million in 2008, representing an average annual increase of 14.2 percent.

- Hawaii seed companies employ 1,863 individuals, 1,065 of whom are full-time employees. Since 2006, the industry has seen job growth increase by 73 percent . The number of full-time jobs in this sector has increased 268.5 percent in the last three years. In comparison, Hawaii's agricultural sector has seen a 16.7 decline in job growth since during this time.
- Hawaii's seed crop industry has a need for highly skilled workers in the areas of science and research. Just over 14 percent of seed industry jobs are in these areas, compared with the statewide average of 5.2 percent across all sectors.
- Hawaii seed industry activities generate $13.8 million in tax revenues to the state per year. This is 87 percent more than the industry generated in 2006.
- Farmland acreage devoted to seed crops increased from 405 acres in 1968 to 6,010 acres in 2008. This represents a 9.3 percent average annual increase.

A&B mulls sugar's future

"We are evaluating many options for returning HC&S to profitability, including improved performance of our existing raw and specialty sugar-focused model and the merits of transforming the plantation into a large-scale energy producer utilizing sugar and/or other crops," the company said.

Doane said the ongoing sugar losses triggered the comprehensive evaluation and that "the foundation of success" will come from producing more sugar.

"The single biggest driver of production levels is water... (and OHA is doing everything it can to grab A& B water away from it in order to force $$$ payment....)

Afghanistan Vet Denounces GTMO Greenwell

To the sound members of a respectful leadership, I recommend that Greenwell apologize to the public and respectfully resign from his leadership in front of Hawaii’s people. Where has this man’s sanity gone, and where will the sanity of Hawaii’s future go as a result of Greenwell’s terroristic intentions?

I am a combat veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Isaac Kawika Nahakuelua, Hilo

GTMO Greenwell defends stance on Gitmo prisoners

This fluff piece begins with this: "Any political objective for freshman Councilmember Kelly Greenwell (District 8: North Kona) begins with intellectual dialogue."

(Yep, liberals actually believe they are smarter than you and i. Pathetic.)

"This seems like a good place to start a dialogue. This letter opens up the conversation, saying 'we want to be part of the solution'," said Greenwell referencing the letter in which he cited the released detainees, of which there are roughly 50 or so that have been cleared without trial but are deemed at risk for mistreatment in their home countries. Of those, 17 have found new homes in the nearby South Pacific nation of Palau. "

(False. The jihadi head-choppers said that Palau was not good enough for them. Perhaps they think that they can get into the US and serve as living proof that Allah has turned the heart of the Americans to service the Islamists.)

I was surprised to find that there was a lack of thoughtfulness in our population... I thought there would be more intellectual support. What we got was a gut reaction by people who would prefer not to think about the big picture."

(There it is again. Those who agree with Greenwell are "intellectuals" those who disagree are merely animalistic--reacting on instinct, from the gut.)

Greenwell explained that the letter was a starting point for looking at Hawaii's ability to show national leadership and act as an international symbol of ~~peace~~ submission.

"This is a most pressing and vivid issue. Until we heal the grief on this planet we won't be able to move into a better mold. If we don't accept what we did there is no healing. We need to dress the wound," said Greenwell, citing the letter while addressing the whirlwind of response it provoked.

(The response is a "whirlwind" while Greenwell is an "intellectual".)

"The letter was never published, they never heard what I actually said. It was the media's interpretation.

(WRONG> Hawai`i Free Press has published both of Greenwell's letters HERE. LINK: PDF of Greenwell Letter to Kenoi , PDF of Greenwell letter to Obama)

There is no reason we can't be bigger than we are. (How does one become taller thru decapitation?) Where is the most logical place for the healing to begin on this planet? It's right here. We can become the center for rebirth as we purport to be the land of aloha, living by the practice of `ohana."

(Clue: "Aloha" and "Ohana" do not include letting head-choppers and bus-bombers move in next door. In fact Greenwell is showing lack of Aloha to all the Ohana on this island.)

SB On Faith: Obama is God

Want to read some pure Obamabot Kool-aid? This President-is-Jesus article is utterly amazing. Here's a sample:

To create a better world from the dangerous and needful one that currently exists, how about this: "Love your enemies."

(If you don't invite GTMO detainees to move in next door, you are a bad Christian.)

Even those (such as Islamofascist head-choppers) who voluntarily hate and cause harm deserve respect. This is an extension of "Do unto others" and "Treat your neighbor as yourself." (You're not a good Christian if you disagree.) Others cannot be separated from one's own realization, individually or collectively. (Rub some lotion into your neck to make the skin more supple...) Assume equality of status, take the other's point of view and proceed from there. (Agree with alQaeda, America is guilty. Present your neck as an act of contrition--and if you don't do that you are not a good Obamabot.)

Rather than drawing a line that should or should not be crossed, Obama's line encircles everyone. (even head-choppers) The audacious give priority to persons and encourage resourcefulness. Hope labors for the good. (Is that why unemployment is so high?)

Wherever else spirituality might be located, the president finds it in the life of every person, a kind of spiritualized democracy.

(Yes, Obama IS God. Just wait until they try to convince you that Neil Abercrombie is St Peter.)

Here's the secularized version of the same drivel: Bias in the justice system needs scrutiny